New Netherland

New Netherland was a colony of the United Provinces that was located on the East Coast of North America, existing from 1614 to 1667 and from 1673 to 1674. The Dutch territories extended from Maryland to the south to Rhode Island in the north, and New Amsterdam served as its capital. New Netherland was settled rather slowly due to policy mismanagement as well as conflicts with Native Americans. During the 1650s, the colony experienced dramatic growth and became a major port for trade in the north Atlantic. In 1664, the colony had a population of between 7,000 and 8,000 people, half of whom were Dutch settlers, the other half being Native Americans and enslaved Africans. In 1664, England captured Fort Amsterdam, and the English takeover was confirmed at the end of the Second Anglo-Dutch War in 1667. In 1673, the Dutch re-captured New Netherland during the Third Anglo-Dutch War, but it was relinquished under the Second Treaty of Westminster. New Netherland became the English provinces of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.